community project,a Qt/KDE technology based update notifier

[muungwana]

qt-update-notifier is a community based project that seek to create a KDE technology based update notifier.

By default:
1.It waits for 24 hours before it automatically check for new updates.A user can do out of schedule checks anytime.The automatic check will then be done after 24 hours have passed since automatic or user initiated check.

2.After it is started up,it waits for 5 minutes before checking if 24 hours have passed since the last update.The delay is there to give time to users who may not network connection at log in like those who have to manually connect to wireless network first.

3 icons are used to identify 3 states the application may be in.
Greenish: No updates where found on the last check.
Blueish: In the process of checking for updates.
Reddish: Updates were found in the repository on the last check.

The application can be in two states,"passive" and "need attention".

The application will go to a "need attention" state when it found updates in the repository.KDE plasma will display the icon when it is in this state and will hide it when it is not.

The different icons are a primary way the application communicates its state with the user.
 
Screen shots are below:

[muungwana]

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8juRKTjN4Q9V2V3TjllSnJNb3M/edit?usp=sharing

The above link has a version 1.0.0 of "qt-update-notifier".

Its current behaviors.

After its started,it checks for updates 5 minutes later and then after every one day( after every 1 * 24 * 60 * 60 seconds )

When its entry in the tray has an "auto" display option set,it will start hidden and will remain hidden until updates are noticed.

It allows a user to manually check for updates.

Will make a package request after a few days when it proves itself to work as expected.

[muungwana]

Just created a public repository at: https://github.com/mhogomchungu/qt-update-notifier

Current behavior:

When its started,it waits for 5 minutes before attempting to check for updates.

Automatically,updates are checked only after a specified amount of time has passed and the default time is 86400 seconds( 24 hours ).This means the notifier can be started as often as a user log in but no check will be done if the time hasnt passed.The interval is reset every time a manual update is done.

The interval can be changed by editing a configuration file stored at "$HOME/.config/qt-update-notifier/qt-update-notifier.interval". The internal must be given in seconds.

log file is at "$HOME/.config/qt-update-notifier/qt-update-notifier.log" and it will contains something below:

Wed Feb 6 17:01:58 2013:   qt-update-notifier started
Wed Feb 6 17:02:04 2013:   scheduled next check to be in 23 hours
Wed Feb 6 17:14:52 2013:   qt-update-notifier started
Wed Feb 6 17:14:58 2013:   checking for updates
Wed Feb 6 17:15:01 2013:   update check complete,no updates found
Wed Feb 6 17:15:01 2013:   scheduled next check to be in 24 hours
Wed Feb 6 17:18:38 2013:   qt-update-notifier started
Wed Feb 6 17:19:42 2013:   qt-update-notifier started
Wed Feb 6 17:24:42 2013:   scheduled next check to be in 4 hours
Wed Feb 6 17:34:17 2013:   checking for updates
Wed Feb 6 17:35:10 2013:   update check complete,no updates found
Wed Feb 6 17:35:10 2013:   scheduled next check to be in 5 hours
Wed Feb 6 17:52:33 2013:   qt-update-notifier started
Wed Feb 6 17:55:41 2013:   checking for updates
Wed Feb 6 17:56:59 2013:   update check complete,no updates found
Wed Feb 6 17:56:59 2013:   scheduled next check to be in 5 hours
Wed Feb 6 17:57:20 2013:   qt-update-notifier started
Wed Feb 6 18:02:20 2013:   scheduled next check to be in 4 hours

[agmg]

I had forgotten about this thread, sorry  
Quoting my first tests from this thread

Installed qt-update-notifier on a test installation of KDE 32bit MiniMe.

I guess the issue with the program going under "file tools" should be already fixed.

On first run, I get the message in the tooltip "waiting for 5 minutes before checking for updates"
Can this be changed at this stage? (maybe by editing the file ~/.config/qt-update-notifier/qt-update-notifier.interval)

I waited those 5 minutes and let the program do its thing.
According to the log, the check was performed, updates were found but no indication in the system tray.
Tooltip only says: "next update check will be on..."

After that, I selected "check for updates" by right-clicking on the icon.
Icon turned to something that looks like a cloud.
After about 20 seconds, tooltip changes to: "there are updates in the repository"
The icon doesn't change to reflect this change in the status, nor there is a notification about available updates.
But if I left-click on it, it changes to a "UN" icon.

Again, with right-click, I selected "open Synaptic" and performed a system update.
After that, I did a new "check for update" with qt-update-notifier and correctly showed no updates found.

These are my first notes on the program.
If you would like me to make more tests or look for something in particular, please ask.

And one question: can custom icons be used with this notifier?
If yes, I could make some suggestions if you are interested.

[sling-shot]

muungwana, please consider the suggestions above for your next release.
Also please add a CHANGELOG file to keep track of improvements in each version.

[muungwana]

On first run, I get the message in the tooltip "waiting for 5 minutes before checking for updates"
Can this be changed at this stage? (maybe by editing the file ~/.config/qt-update-notifier/qt-update-notifier.interval)

That can be added.You want the check to be performed immediately after start up?

The wait is currently there to take into account those who may not have internet connection immediately at log in and to reduce system stress at log in time.Currently,you can force the check after it started by right clicking the icon and click "check for updates".

I waited those 5 minutes and let the program do its thing.
According to the log, the check was performed, updates were found but no indication in the system tray.
Tooltip only says: "next update check will be on..."

The icon should have a greenish color when there are no updates and should change to reddish color when they are found.Are you saying you are not seeing this change? I just tested here and the icon changed when it found updates.( i do testing by enabling testing section of the repository )

It currently does not give any popups.If there are no updates,the icon will be greenish and hidden from view,if there are updates,it changes to reddish color and appear on the tray.The change in the icon is how it communicates to the user on the state of the repository.

And one question: can custom icons be used with this notifier?
If yes, I could make some suggestions if you are interested.

You should find the icons in /usr/share/icons.Their names start with "qt-update-notifier".

I think you will need to clear your icon cache when you change them or your changes wont be reflected.You clear the cache by deleting "/var/tmp/<user>-kde4/kdecache-<user>/icon-cache.kcache".Log out and log back in and your icons will now be used.

I dont know anything about icon creation and i fumbled my way in gimp to create those.Will be very happy if you could come up with anything and i will use them.

[muungwana]

muungwana, please consider the suggestions above for your next release.
Also please add a CHANGELOG file to keep track of improvements in each version.

ok,will do that,thanks for the suggestion.

edit:
a changelog file is already added in the git tree

[daniel]

An other thing is... compress the archive as tar.xz and not as zip.

Much easier to handle by rpm build...

Regards
Daniel

[agmg]

On first run, I get the message in the tooltip "waiting for 5 minutes before checking for updates"
Can this be changed at this stage? (maybe by editing the file ~/.config/qt-update-notifier/qt-update-notifier.interval)

That can be added.You want the check to be performed immediately after start up?

The wait is currently there to take into account those who may not have internet connection immediately at log in and to reduce system stress at log in time.Currently,you can force the check after it started by right clicking the icon and click "check for updates".

I think it would be great if the user could choose if the program should check immediately or after some delay. I don't really have a problem with it as I usually leave my computer on for days...

I waited those 5 minutes and let the program do its thing.
According to the log, the check was performed, updates were found but no indication in the system tray.
Tooltip only says: "next update check will be on..."

The icon should have a greenish color when there are no updates and should change to reddish color when they are found.Are you saying you are not seeing this change? I just tested here and the icon changed when it found updates.( i do testing by enabling testing section of the repository )

It currently does not give any popups.If there are no updates,the icon will be greenish and hidden from view,if there are updates,it changes to reddish color and appear on the tray.The change in the icon is how it communicates to the user on the state of the repository.

This is the icon I see when idle:


This is the icon I see when checking for updates:


This is what I see when updates are available:


And this if I press the icon with left click when there are updates:

And one question: can custom icons be used with this notifier?
If yes, I could make some suggestions if you are interested.

You should find the icons in /usr/share/icons.Their names start with "qt-update-notifier".

I think you will need to clear your icon cache when you change them or your changes wont be reflected.You clear the cache by deleting "/var/tmp/<user>-kde4/kdecache-<user>/icon-cache.kcache".Log out and log back in and your icons will now be used.

I dont know anything about icon creation and i fumbled my way in gimp to create those.Will be very happy if you could come up with anything and i will use them.

I will check and see if I can make my own icons... Just give me a couple of days

[muungwana]

thanks for those images,they make things much clear.

There seem to be a bug somewhere.The cloud icon should be shown only when checking for updates and afterwards,the icon should change either to the greenish one to the reddish one.

The icon changing when you press it suggests the problem is with the system tray as it doesnt update itself properly.It does update here as expected but it flickers when i mouse over it and i dont see the same behavior in other tray applications.Maybe i am not doing something.Will investigate.

[agmg]

I have created three icons for your project.

Idle:


Checking:


Available updates:


Tell me what you think...

This is how they look in my test machine:




There is something like a small dot appearing on the lower left corner.
I don't know how this happens but I will work on it.

Suggestions and corrections are welcome

[muungwana]

what did you use to make them? They look really nice.

That small "dot" you are seeing is a small representation of the icon.I added code to have it to see if it could remove the flickering i talked about.

I will copy and upload them now.

[agmg]

I will upload the original png files on my dropbox and send you the link.
I have made some corrections in the "checking" icon.
Wait for my files...

[muungwana]

The dot appear on the lower right on my system so i think where it appears is dependent on the theme in use.

Do you still see the same behavior where the icon that show updates are being check stay after the check is done?

[agmg]

No, still it doesn't change. It needs to be pressed.